Sample Solution

Since the outbreak of COVID-19, individuals suffering from addiction have been disproportionately impacted by the pandemic. The sudden disruption to everyday life caused by lockdowns, social distancing and other public health measures has profoundly altered access to both substance use treatment programs as well as recovery-related support networks (Carr et al., 2020). Moreover, with many people experiencing financial instability due to job loss or reduction in income – this can lead to increased anxiety which can be particularly damaging for those already vulnerable to relapse (Ritter et al., 2020).

Furthermore, in regions where access to illicit drugs is readily available – rates of usage may have surged due to boredom and lack of activities during stay at home orders(Lewis et al., 2021). In addition people turn away from culturally sanctioned means of managing stress such as attending religious services or engaging in physical exercise which usually play an important role in maintaining sobriety (Carman & Boudreau 2016).

In recognition of the unique challenges presented by COVID-19 – a number of initiatives such as telehealth services or online meetings are being rolled out in order provide continuity of care for these individuals during this period.(Perkins et al., 2020) This is also accompanied by additional resources ranging from emergency food banks or housing assistance which are being made available across certain states within the US.(Bachhuber et al., 2021) These measures will be critical if we hope to protect those who are most vulnerable against further harm caused by prolonged isolation.